M iriam Levinsky stood in the narrow doorway. “Hey gut voch Shvigger” Chaim said. He had never gotten used to calling her Mommy even though his father-in-law had been Daddy from day one. Perhaps it was because he called his own father Papa though Rivky liked to play analyst and ascribe it to his own Mommy issues.
“Come in Ma ” Rivky said putting down the tablecloth she’d been folding and leading her mother inside. “Can I make you a cup of tea?”
“No no. Just came to say hello.”
“Oh okay then ” Rivky said standing there uncertainly suddenly grasping that her mother wanted to speak to Chaim alone. She looked at him meaningfully and stepped back into the tiny bedroom.
“Sit down Shvigger what’s up?”
Early on in his marriage Chaim had heard from Rivky that her mother found him aloof feeling that he never really spoke to her unless he had to. “What should I talk to her about the markets? Coffee futures? The daf?”
